Define Fun
by Sparkles1074
Summary: Most of Kenta's friends have things to do, leaving Kenta pretty much by himself. However, Kenta is determined to have a fun-filled day with someone no one would've guessed on the first try. [During Metal Masters, slight AU]


Kenta kicked a rock. His hands were shoved in his pockets. He was proud of his friends. Ginga, Yu, Tsubasa and Masamune had all made it on team Gan Gan Galaxy and would be traveling all around the world. Madoka went with them. Not to forget Kyoya and Benkei left town too. Hikaru had important work at the WBBA. And Hyoma probably went back to Koma village. Kenta was pretty much alone. Well he had Osamu, Takashi, and Akira but...

There was a sound from under the bridge. Kenta went to check it out. He didn't see anything in the lit area down there so did that mean the sound came from the dark area. Maybe Kenta shouldn't check it out. He turned to leave.

There was a growl. It was the growl of an empty stomach. Kenta turned back around. Maybe it was someone who needed help. He approached the darkness.

"Is someone there?" There was no response. "Hm. That's weird it wasn't my stomach that grumbled..." Maybe he was just imagining things. "Well, it has been a bit since breakfast. So, I guess I should eat." Kenta was ready to leave.

"Do you... have food?" The voice from the darkness caught Kenta off guard.

"Um not with me but I could get you something. Do you want anything in particular?"

"Just... food." There was something familiar about the voice. Kenta couldn't pin point who owned the voice but maybe he would be able when he came back with food.

He went out and got two burgers, things of fries and bottles of water and returned to the bridge. He held out the bag.

"I got us lunch. Come on out."

"Into... the light?"

"Yeah, is there a problem with that?"

"I'm not a fan of bright places..."

Kenta wasn't sure how to respond. He squinted trying to see the figure in the dark. He knew this voice but why couldn't he figure out who it was. He sat down just in front of the dark area.

"Well . . . I guess you can stay in the dark," Kenta took out a burger. "If you come to where the light and dark meet you can still get your food. Otherwise, I could try tossing you the bag." He got no response. He shrugged and bit into his burger. He noticed a pale hand reach for the bag. He could almost kind of make out the figure. Kenta slightly moved the bag closer to the light. The hand hesitated.

The person moved slightly closer. The hand grabbed the bag. Kenta followed the hand to the rest of the figure. The figure was wearing a long sleeve shirt. And was very thin. Kenta looked at the figures head. Were there eyes... No those were just hair clips so then their hair was covering their eyes and- wait. Reiji?

"Reiji...?" Kenta wasn't sure what to think or feel. Had Reiji been living under this bridge since Battle Bladers? Or had he just recently got here? When was the last time he ate? Was he still _bad_?

Reiji bit into his burger. He seemed like he really hadn't eaten in a while. Kenta continued to eat.

"Uh Reiji... Why are you under this bridge?" Kenta wasn't sure he was going to get an answer. Reiji stopped eating for a moment.

"What all did you bring me?"

"Um a burger, fries, and a water."

"...Fine... I'll answer three questions. To answer your first one, I found out that bad things are constantly happening to me in the light. So, I took refuge here."

"Well, when you're a bad person bad things happen to you. It's called karma."

"Bad... Person? What's a bad person?"

Kenta blinked. He couldn't believe Reiji just asked that.

"What do mean 'what's a bad person'? You! Doji! Ryuga! You guys were all bad people."

"I am? Why?"

"You... You went into battle and destroyed my bey and Hyoma's without a care! Yu had to run away from a battle with you! You didn't care about the joy or fun of battling at all! You just wanted to break what was dear to everyone else!"

There was a silence. Kenta looked back at Reiji, he was finishing his burger. He reached into the bag and got out some fries. Reiji seemed to be twitching slightly.

Kenta slowly took another bite into his burger. He felt uncomfortable. All of Battle Bladers came rushing back. Everything was so painful. So many got hurt. He should leave, he couldn't take it.

"J-j-joy? F-fun?"

"Yeah, joy and fun, it's what blading is all a-" Kenta had looked back up at Reiji. He held is hand to his face, his eye was visible between his index and middle fingers. Reiji looked crazed. Kenta scooted back.

"I... don't... Understand. What are they?"

"C-concepts and feelings."

"Feelings. Other than fear? Everything derives from fear. Can joy and fun derive from fear?"

"I-I guess in some situations that may be the case b-but"

"Then how were my battles not fun and joy filled?"

"Because joy and fun isn't about being frightened or frightening others. It's about being able to smile and laugh and enjoy yourself."

"But that's what I did."

"But when you're not the only person involved it should be fun for everyone!"

"But if fun derives from fear how is it not fun for everyone?"

Kenta thought for a moment. Trying tell him about joy and fun wasn't working. If he wanted to get through to him, maybe he'd have to...

"I can show you." Kenta wasn't exactly sure what he was saying. But it seemed to interest Reiji.

"You can show me fun?"

"Mhm." Kenta put the rest of his burger in his mouth and stood up.

"Do I have to go into the light?"

"Yup." Kenta dusted off his shorts. Maybe showing Reiji what fun was could help him.

"No thanks." Reiji continued to eat his fries. Kenta frowned. He grabbed the bag which still had his fries in it. He then noticed Reiji reaching for one of the water bottles. Kenta bit his lip. It would be mean to force him into the light...

In one swift motion, Kenta was holding both water bottles.

"Hey I thought you said you got a water for me," Reiji said.

"I did and you can have your water. You just have to get it first." Kenta sat the water closer to the light area. As Reiji reached for Kenta 'accidently' knocked it over. "Sorry," He sat it down upright. Reiji started to reach for it but stopped.

"You... moved it... Further way."

"No I didn't."

"Yes... You did."

"Well, if you don't want the water," Kenta picked the water back up and turned to leave.

"I do... want the water..."

"Okay." Kenta sat the water back down.

"You moved it again."

"Huh? It's as close to you as it was before."

"No, it's not."

"Oh... Well, I'm gonna go... Bye," Kenta hoped this would get Reiji into the light. He didn't know why, but now he felt determined to teach Reiji about fun.

He walked towards the exit of under the bridge then turned and watched Reiji. Reiji reached for the water. He was slightly out of the dark area allowing him to reach the water. Kenta clasped his hands together. Reiji looked up at Kenta and glared. Kenta nervously laughed as he approached.

"Well since your already in the light let's go." Kenta grabbed Reiji's arm before he could retreat into the dark.

"You... You're a bad person," Reiji had a slight pout in his tone. Kenta laughed it off.

"Let's go have fun!"

At Bey Park, Kenta pointed out all the people having fun. By this point Reiji had sunglasses. Kenta got them for him because Reiji had refused to look around in the bright sun. Kenta then spotted Osamu, Takashi, and Akira. He led Reiji over to them. Their laughing stopped. They looked frightened.

"Is this the fun part," Reiji mockingly asked, adjusting his sunglasses. Kenta cleared his throat.

"You guys remember Reiji, right?"

"Yeah, we remember Reiji..."

"How could anyone forget Reiji..."

"But why are you with him," Akira failed to whisper.

"That's exactly what I came to tell you about," Kenta smiled. "Today I'm teaching Reiji about fun and I thought you guys could demonstrate a fun beyblade battle."

"Ooooh... Okay."

"I guess we could do that."

"Yeah, I guess this _can't_ go wrong." The three of them aimed their beys.

"Three... Two... One. Let it rip!"

There were a couple of battles for demonstration. Kenta joined the second one and third one was him versus Akira. Afterwards, Kenta turned to Reiji.

"Now that you've seen what fun battles look like why don't you try?" Kenta smiled at Reiji. Reiji hesitated but then walked toward the stadium.

"You've got this Kenta! We're rooting for you!"

"Yeah! Don't worry about the fact that you're not that strong and didn't make it on the team!"

"Try not to get wrecked!"

Kenta looked over at his three friends. They were off at a distance behind something. Kenta sighed.

"He's totally doesn't have this."

"Yeah, if he had made the team he wouldn't be in this situation."

"He's gonna get wrecked."

"I can still hear you!" Kenta's friends gave him thumbs up. He shook his head and looked back at Reiji. Reiji was ready to battle. Kenta took a deep breath.

"Alright. Three... Two... One... Let it rip."

The battle started off being a pretty decent battle maybe even a little fun but it didn't stay like that. When asked if he was having fun Reiji freaked out. Osamu, Takashi, and Akira tackled Reiji down to give Kenta time to get Sagittario. Kenta slid down into the stadium and picked up Sagittario then Poison Serpent. With a slight struggle, he climbed out of the stadium and approached the four. The three members of O.T.A. still had Reiji pinned down.

"... Is... _this_ the fun part," Reiji seemed genuinely ask.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"... Not really..."

"Then no." Kenta held out Serpent. "Maybe we should start with something a little more basic."

"Ya think," O.T.A. asked in union.

"So," Kenta walked down the sidewalk with Reiji. He was trying to figure out another way to explain 'fun' to Reiji. Then he got an idea. "Let's turn to the fun acronym."

"Fun is an acronym?"

"Mhm. I saw it in a show once. F is for friends who-"

"We're not friends."

"Okay... Um let's try something else then." Kenta pouted. Reiji just sat there and stared. Kenta thought. Reiji liked snakes. Maybe he'd have fun at the zoo.

At the zoo, Reiji stared at the animals. He would place his hand on the glass confined areas and tried to climb a couple of the fences. He seemed... sad? Or maybe longing? Kenta really couldn't tell.

"So, you're not having fun, are you?"

"What's fun about watching animals trapped in captivity?"

"It's not like they're treated badly. They're fed and taken care of, they even live longer."

"But they didn't have a choice but to be here and entertain the people... They didn't have a choice..."

"Do you... feel like I'm not giving you a choice?" Kenta twiddled his thumbs and looked down at his feet. He just wanted to help him and teach him about fun. He didn't mean to make him feel like he didn't have a choice in this situation. He really was a bad person. He felt an awkward pat on his head.

"I... don't."

"Really?" Kenta looked up at Reiji. Reiji nodded.

"That's your second question by the way. It should be second and third but I'll let you have one more. So, what's next?"

Kenta thought for a moment. Where was the place that everyone was guaranteed to have fun? He hit his fist into the palm of his hand. He got it.

"The amusement park!" Kenta pulled up the map before they took another step to explore. "Here at the amusement park everyone has fun and is full of joy."

"Not everyone."

"Huh," Kenta looked from the map to Reiji. Was he talking about himself? But they just got there...

"That kid..." Reiji pointed over to a little girl sitting on bench. Kenta put away his map. The two of them went over to the girl.

"What's wrong," Kenta kneeled on the ground before her. The girl wiped her eyes and held her breath. She looked around and tears filled her eyes. She then started crying again.

"My older cousin and I were supposed to hang out today. But he wanted to hang out with his friends and he brought me here with him but they went to go ride a ride I'm too short to go on plus they wanted to see the haunted house and then he said that I had to wait for them to be done. And he hasn't come back yet. He said that'd we'd get ice cream and cotton candy and have lots of fun... He lied. This isn't fun at all! ...I hate being alone... It scares me."

"Do you want us to wait with you until he gets back," Kenta asked.

"No," Reiji said. Kenta looked at him. "Let's just take her with us. That way she can have fun."

"Really," the girl asked. She looked excited. "Yay! Let's get ice cream." Reiji picked the girl up and sat her on his shoulders.

"Okay," Reiji said. "Let's go get ice cream."

So, they got ice cream. They rode the tea cups and bumper carts. They even rode a small version of the ride that goes up and up, and drops. Then they got cotton candy and played fair games. Reiji won them each a version of a stuffed snake. Kenta didn't win any prizes besides a little key chain. But overall Kenta had a lot of fun. He was glad that the girl did too. Reiji showed no signs of enjoying it though.

The sun set. The girl went back with her cousin. Reiji gave her a lot of the prizes he won too. Kenta turned back to Reiji.

"Um did you have fun?"

"This is your last question. Are you sure you to use it on that?"

"But I also bought you ice cream and cotton candy. So, shouldn't that be two more questions?"

"... Fine. What do you want to ask? You have three questions left."

Kenta thought for a moment. He wanted to know if Reiji had and understood fun, and why he invited the girl to spend time with them instead of just waiting with them, if he had to go through something that he had no choice but to do, where he would go after this, if he was still thought that fear was what everything had to be derived from. He looked up at Reiji.

Reiji was standing a bit more straight then usually. He was just staring back at Kenta. Kenta felt nervous. Which questions should he ask? He took a deep breath.

"Did you have fun today?"

"I... Don't know... I think so. I ... _liked_ the amusement park activities."

"That's... That's great!"

"Next question?"

"Huh? Oh! Um... What... what do you plan on doing now after today?"

"I don't know."

"Oh... Um... At the zoo, you seemed to really sympathize with the animals, you must have sympathized with the girl too since you invited her to have fun. Can you explain how you connect with them?" Kenta wasn't sure if he was going to get an answer. Reiji just stood there. He sighed.

"When Doji found me, I was alone. I didn't know if I had a family to return or if they were all just dead. So Doji took me in... It seemed fine at first but I had to spend hours and hours learning to Beyblade, watching videos. Videos to prepare for going up against Ginga. I had to be all alone, in some closed off dark room. That was my life. I didn't have a choice. I was always alone in the dark. I didn't like it at the time. But I've grown accustomed to it."

"I see," Kenta felt bad. He, before today, never thought much of the people of Dark Nebula. He just saw them all as bad people. He hadn't thought of more than. Maybe the others that were part of Dark Nebula had a hard time too. They didn't make the best choices but everyone could use a second chance.

"You should go home now," Reiji said. "It's getting late."

"Right but where are you going to go?"

"You have no more questions. Just go home. You'll probably forget about this tomorrow anyway."

"I won't! But I'll go home. And thank you."

"Huh? Why are you thanking me?"

"For the stuffed snake," Kenta held up the snake Reiji won him.

"You... You're weird."

Kenta just smiled in return. He had a lot of fun today. Even without all his friends. He was overall very proud of his friends and now he was also kind of glad that he didn't make the team. He got to kind of make amends with an old enemy today. And he got to teach, well, show, Reiji what fun is. Today was a win-win.


End file.
